Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Here
are 9 reasons for you to consider :

1]
Learn about something new.

Fresh
ideas, new perspective. Experienced interior design professionals
open a window into the world of design, art, architecture.

2]
Reflect your style, values and taste.

You
know what you like and don't like, but not sure how to achieve these
preferences in your home. Maybe you get overwhelmed with all
the details and options. Interior designers are skilled in editing,
balance, scale and proportion, therefore can produce a cohesive and
coherent style solution for you.

3]
Another perspective.

You
like a lot of different styles and not sure what is the most suitable
for your home, budget or lifestyle. Interior designers are trained
in the history of design, ergonomics, psychology of color,
perception, architectural styles and can recommend things you may not
have thought nor heard of.

4]
Project planning and management.

You
get excited about making positive improvements in your home, but
don't want the hassle of doing all the research, planning, shopping,
hiring multiple trades, etc. Interior designers provide project
planning, budgeting and project management as part of their services.
They also have a team of go-to tradespeople and artisans to produce
high-quality results.

5]
Avoid do-it-yourself mistakes that can be costly.

6]
Cost of things.

An
experienced interior designer will know the cost of things right from
the get-go. They will be able to assess your wish list and coach you
at the very beginning what your budget will allow for.

7]
Treat yourself.

Life
is short - enjoy it to the max by treating yourself to a
one-of-a-kind custom designed room or entire home ! Similar concept
to having a custom dress or suit made.

8]
Technology.

You
want a more
relaxing,
Feng
Shui
environment, including
equipment [e.g.a modem, router] and appliances
built-in to cabinets &
layouts that flow.
Having an interior designer produce drawings that show how this can be
achieved is paramount.

9]
Develop a lasting relationship with a valued professional.

You
have a hair stylist, aesthetician and personal trainer and now you
want an Interior Designer as part of your lifestyle team. You value
and trust professional advice in order to enjoy your life to its
fullest.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Want to start over and replace everything in your living room ? Most of us dream of doing that, especially if we've been living with the same old furniture and tchotchkes for 20 years+.
So what would it cost for a brand new living room ? What is your budget?

In this series, I delve into the costs of redesigning, redecorating and renovating typical rooms found in design magazines.

I've realized over time that when we see images of beautiful spaces in magazines, we have no idea of the money and time that has gone into that space.

Here is an example living room photo from Elle Decor interior design magazine and the estimated 2017 cost of all the items [mid-range price points] in Canadian dollars :

A : hardwood flooring refinishing $500 - 750

B : sectional sofa $3,000 - 6,000

C : rug $1,000 - $5,000

D : credenza $800 - 3,500

E : television + bracket $1,000 - 2,000

F : coffee table $800 - 2,500

G : floor lamp $750 - 1,800

H : nesting tables $750 - 1,500

I : blinds [x 3 ] $1,500 -2,900

J : fine art [36"x48"] $1,000 - 6,000

K : pillows [x 3 ] $150 - 375

L : throw $80 - 500

M : painted focal wall [including labor] $200 - 400

N : decor [x 3 ] $75 - 1,200

Total : $11,605 - 34,425 + 15% turnkey design service

All of the items sure add up! Even at mid-range price points there is a large price range. Most people are comfortable somewhere in this range for the "fit and finish" such as that shown here. Think about what is important to you and what would bring you the most joy, then prioritize accordingly.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Over the years, I have come across many instances when a client wonders if they should hire an interior designer or kitchen cabinet company to design their new kitchen.

image courtesy Patricia Gray Interior Design

Without further ado, there are several differences [hopefully unbiased] I'd like to share with you :

Value

Interior Designer

Kitchen Cabinet Company

Approach

Holistic, taking all adjacent areas, architectural features and your wish list into consideration

Usually limited to consideration of existing
walls to determine where the kitchen cabinets and counters will go

Scope

Turnkey design includes everything e.g. floor plan [which may include new wall and doorway locations to correct inefficient space planning], lighting,
flooring, tile locations, sizes and layout, paint colors, decor,
appliance, fixture and furniture selections, and furniture layout, etc.
Designers make it a point to keep up-to-date with all new products available.

Design includes kitchen cabinet layout and
cabinet wall elevations. The door style, material, and finishes options
are chosen by you. Some companies may also offer tiles and plumbing
fixtures.
Cabinet companies generally do not keep up-to-date with current market offerings, except for items related to cabinets [e.g. pantry pull-out shelving]

Service

Hands-on; work on and off-site.

Work mostly off-site. Project communications
with the client are usually done through a sales rep.

Needs analysis

In-depth, on-going dialogue with you

Basic understanding what your wants and needs
are

Experience

5-10 years experience is recommended for a complex
room such as a kitchen

Often, a junior designer [0-5 yrs experience]
will be assigned to do the design

Style

Unlimited style options, depending on your
budget, architectural features and the style of the adjacent
areas/rooms

Cabinet style is limited to whatever door
options and box sizes are available

Budget

Design fees are extra – around 10-15% of
the net cost, for turn-key full service.

A medium budget kitchen is between
$50,000-75,000

Design fees are built into the price of the
cabinets.

A ballpark price for 'semi-custom'* cabinets
in a medium size kitchen is between $20,000-25,000

How does it work?

Approved design drawings are given to the
general contractor in order for them to get quotes on
everything, including pricing from a kitchen cabinet company. The quotes are then reviewed by the designer for
accuracy and presented to you for approval

The kitchen cabinet company uses their own
design drawings in order to give you a quote on the cabinets and
counter

End Result

A stunning, cohesive, unique kitchen which is
tailored to suit your lifestyle, budget and the style
[or future style!] of the rest of the house

A nice basic kitchen which may have visual
flow with adjacent rooms

This option may be right for you if :

- you enjoy collaborating one-on-one with a
trained professional

- you have specific space planning needs
which may require walls, ceiling and doorways to be changed

- you appreciate that the time and effort put
into a project will result in an exceptional kitchen you are
delighted to be in.

- you are planning on moving soon and do not
want to invest in a specialized product

- you have an existing kitchen layout that
doesn't require any new construction

- you are comfortable choosing lighting,
materials, colors and styles that suit the rest of your home

- you are on a tight budget

* by
semi-custom, I mean that most kitchen cabinet company's products are
limited to the door styles, materials and finishes options currently
in their product offering. Unusual sizes, details such as inlay,
and materials such as metal are done by a full-custom cabinet
workshop and up-charged accordingly.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Kitchen Upgrades Need Not Cost an Arm and a Leg

Everyone knows that the kitchen is one of the most expensive renovations ... here is a great example of what can be done on a modest budget. My client had already updated her counter tops to quartz and flooring to clear maple hardwood a year before. These 2 itemscan easily account for $6,000 - $8,000 of a renovation budget depending on amount of material and number of cuts required. Here is the before photo :

Before

We gave her kitchen a fresh, clean look with open-back upper cabinets that show off the white fully-tiled wall and new hood vent. The cabinets are Baltic Birch plywood [ which has an interesting striped
edge ], with a gloss white laminate lining the inner surfaces. :

After

Only the lower cabinet and pantry doors were changed, leaving the cabinet boxes as is. Another huge cost savings ! The ceiling light fixture was moved to the middle of the room, and pendants were added above the sink. The sink faucet was also replaced.

In total, these upgrades are in the $15,000 range for everything including new cabinet and pantry doors [not in photo], knobs, electrical, general contracting and design services. If you want to update your kitchen, doing it in 2 phases like this is definitely a feasible option!

Design Tip :

If you are wanting
to do any sort of renovation, it is wise to start your project at
least 3-6 months ahead of time in order to secure an A-list
contractor, and to ensure all new products and materials are available for installation. The very best contractors are booked anywhere from 3 - 12 months in
advance!

Inspiration :

Sunbrella fabrics ! This company manufactures outdoor fabrics for use on furniture, draperies, awnings, pillows, etc. It is made from 100% acrylic so it resists stains, fading and the elements. And of course, the color and pattern range is amazing :

Thursday, February 25, 2016

ClosetsDoubledand Serenity Returned toPowell Avenue Loft

After enjoying their 2-bed, 2-bath, converted-school-condo for 10 years, the clients decided to tackle all the things that bugged them at once. Their overall wish was to make better use of their central Ottawa 1,000 sq. ft. condominium for their den, bedroom andclosets.

Finding space for a lifetime of artwork, books, camera equipment and designer wardrobes is always a challenge....and what a great opportunity for improvement ! The space is open and inviting with a large wall of windows facing south. Most of the interior partitions go up 8' to the 10' high ceilings, giving the semi-industrial space a lot of interesting interior architecture to work with.

View from new bedroom looking into living room

The end result doubled the closet space by adding a Dressing Area in the "North Wing" anda new closet in the "Entry", which was a passage-way into the "South Wing" bathroom. See floor plans and photos [numbered] below showing the wish list and solutions to each area :

16DEN Solutions :- source new modern sofa and pair with concrete sculpture/ coffee table - sits across from floating shelves and tv, making a cozy entertainment area

After months of planning and design, almost every area was redesigned, [except for the kitchen and dining], including new walls, doors, lighting and electrical, built-in cabinets & shelving and furniture. Open spaces that flow into each other are maintained, keeping the condominiumpeaceful and serene.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Working with a Blank Slate : Richmond Road Living Room

Just completed in time for Christmas - the redesign of a living/ dining room in a west end Ottawa, condominium high-rise. The chairs were re-upholstered with Robert Allen Tapir fabric, the wallpaper is Crown Gold grass cloth, the fireplace is an electric Amanti, the tallboy was purchased by the clients and hand painted by 4 Walls, and the lighting is from Found Design Ottawa [quartz base lamps], Juno and Restoration Hardware .... who doesn't love a great before and after? AFTER

BEFORE

Notice what a different new modern fabric makes to the clients' classic wing-back chairs. The extra pieces were used for pillows.Apple Red Bench

Warm up your home with a piece of red furniture ...

This is another example of what new upholstery fabric can do to an existing piece of furniture! Here is a close-up of this really interesting fabric from one of my favorite companies, Maharam.

It looks like a cross between snake skin and high school football jersey mesh...what a fabulous and unique combo.

And functionally, it's very durable for high use spaces such as this front foyer.